Hen&#39;s nest.



NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

FRANCIS lVI. BUSBY, OF TULARE, CALIFORNIA.

HENS NEST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Application filed September 12, 1910. Serial No. 581,563.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. B'Usnr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tulare, in the county of Tulare and State of California, have invented a new and useful Hens Nest, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hens nests.

The object of the invention is to provide an article of this characterl which shall be simple in construction, efficient and durable in use, and in which the door will always remain positively closed when the nest is occupied by the hen, thus to prevent interference with a sitting fowl by another one, and in which entrance of vermin, such as weasels and the like will be prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hens nest in which the door shall open upwardly when the fowl leaves the nest, thus to provide the greatest space for ingress and egress, and in which means shall be provided for converting it into a trap nest, thus to prevent the fowl from leaving the nest should it desire to do so.

With the above and other objects in View, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a hens nest, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through a hens nest constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line Qf-Q. Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the door closed.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the casing of the nest which comprises a bottom 2, two side walls 3, two end walls 4: and 5 respectively, and a top 6, the latter being preferably removable in order to permit access to the interior of the nest for the purposes of cleaning. The end wall 5, which constitutes the front, is provided with a door opening which is arranged to be closed by a door 8 the lower end of which rests against a sill 9, so that there will be no danger of binding or catching, as it extends exteriorly of the wall 5 and some distance below the sill. The door, as stated, opens upwardly, and is carried by a cross piece 10 provided with trunnions 1l that are j ournaled in cleats l2 secured to the rear side of the front wall.

The nest 13, which may be of any size or shape, is suspended from two bars 14, the lower ends of which are rigidly secured to the sides of the nest, and the upper ends of which are journaled upon trunnions 15 formed on a cross piece 1G secured to or forming part of the end of a counterweight 17 that is secured to a cross piece 18 having trunnions 19 journaled in the sides of the nest. The forward portion of the counterweight carries a cross piece 20 that serves the double function of a weight and also as a stop to limit the downward movement of the counterweight by contact with cleats 21 secured to the inner surface of the side walls. The upper end of the door is rounded at 22 to present a cam surface which by contact with the under side of the counterweight will act as a cam to cause the counterweight to throw the door upward when weight is removed from the nest.

When the parts are arranged as shown in Fig. l, the door will remain positively closed so long as the nest is occupied, but as soon as the fowl leaves it, the counterweight will come into play and force the door upward thereby leaving an unobstructed opening through which the fowl may pass. In order to lock the door against opening so long as the hen remains within the casing, even though she leaves the nest, a spring catch 23 is provided which is carried by a bolt 24: combined for rotary movement with the sill 9, and being held against disconnection therefrom by a pin 25. The face of the bolt to which the catch is secured is beveled, and the catch is normally disposed in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, so as not to present an obstruction that might deter the hen from entering, but when it is desired to lock the door, the attendant merely turns the bolt from the position shown in full lines to that shown in dotted lines, when the hen will be securely locked within the casing. This latter is a precaution that is taken by poultry dealers who live in a neighborhood infested by vermin that are dangerous to sitting fowls and young chickens.

This nest will also be found useful in conning hens that insist on interfering with other sitting hens, and also for imprisoning quarrelsome roosters.

counterweight supported for pivotal inoyefv ments therein, a nest pivotally connected with one .endr of the counterweight, an eutward and upward opening door having its lower end arranged eXteriorly of the front wall of the casing to prevent binding and itsv upper endl formed with a cam surface to coact with the counterweight to cause the vlatter to be operated for opening the door when the nest is vacated, a stop member carried by the counterweight, and cleats secured to the side-walls of the casing with which the stop contacts.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own', l have la-ereto aHiXed my signature in the presence o two witnesses.

FRANCIS M. BUSBY.

Vi-tnesses F. T. BILLING, C. M. PARKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for -ve cents each, by yaddressing the Commissioner of- Patents,

Wash'ngtfon, D. C. 

